"As reported to me by no less (than) witnesses in Ormoc, the Albuera Police officers, assisted by obviously by a lawyer, prepared the affidavits of Mayor Espinosa," Leyte 3rd District Representative Vicente "Ching" Veloso said in the Senate probe on the killing of Espinosa.

Espinosa was shot dead earlier this month while in custody at the sub-provincial jail in Baybay City, Leyte. Police officials say Espinosa sneaked a gun into his jail cell and fired at policemen who were about to serve a search warrant. He was killed in the ensuing firefight.

Espinosa was earlier tagged by President Rodrigo Duterte as a "narco-politician" engaged in the drug trade. He was later arrested and detained in the Baybay City jail.

Authorities say Espinosa left behind two affidavits and a notebook that listed names of officials, police and media men allegedly involved in his son Kerwin Espinosa's drug transactions.

While Kerwin Espinosa admitted involvement in drugs, he said his father was innocent in the same hearing. On the signature on his father's affidavit, he said, "Hindi ito pirma ng papa ko [This is not my father's signature]."